In Huayan practice, ethical conduct weaves through every moment like the jewels in Indra’s Net—each precept reflecting and sustaining the whole. At the foundation lie the Five Precepts (steering clear of killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, false speech and intoxicants), encouraging a sensitivity to the countless lives sharing any given instant. Beyond these, Mahayana bodhisattva vows raise the bar: generosity, moral discipline, patience, vigorous effort, meditation and wisdom become daily companions.

A particular highlight comes from the ten great vows of Universal Worthy Samantabhadra, treating them not as dry rules but as living expressions of interconnectedness. They range from honoring all buddhas and benefiting sentient beings to remembering the Dharma’s teachings and offering the unsurpassable gift of enlightenment. Each vow, like a strand in a cosmic web, supports the strength and clarity of every other.

Three Pure Precepts—abstaining from evil, cultivating virtue and benefiting others—serve as a dynamic framework rather than a static code. During gatherings at international eco-Dharma conferences (echoing recent COP28 discussions), practitioners often point out how those precepts call for environmental stewardship: reducing waste, supporting renewable initiatives, even rethinking digital consumption so that every click resonates with care.

Ethics in Huayan aren’t a one-size-fits-all patchwork but an invitation to explore interpenetration. When compassion guides speech, actions ripple outward, touching communities and ecosystems. When patience softens harsh judgments, a newfound harmony arises among friends, colleagues and even in online debates around social justice.

By treating each ethical guideline as a reflection of the whole—where one act truly affects all—Huayan leaves room for adaptation in our fast-changing world. Every decision, from the food on the plate to the hashtag shared, becomes a chance to honor that sublime Net of Indra.